Tell Me More

NPR's new series explores how the "American Dream" is evolving during a period of economic uncertainty. Host Michel Martin talks with NPR Senior Business Editor Marilyn Geewax about the series, and whether home ownership is still at the heart of the "American Dream," even after the historic collapse of the housing market.

The Navy SEALs are known for conducting some of the U.S. military's most dangerous missions. But they're not necessarily known for their diversity. Host Michel Martin speaks with two men trying to bring people of different backgrounds to the elite military force.

Memorial Day marks the start of barbecue season for many backyard grillers. Host Michel Martin gets some tips for how to grill it up. She checks in with rockabilly singer Ruby Dee, author of Ruby's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. And we're about to get funky with a special rebroadcast.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GIVE UP THE FUNK")

BOOTSY COLLINS: (Singing) We're going to turn this mother out. We're going to turn this mother out. We're going to turn this mother out...

MARTIN: He played bass for James Brown and George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic all before striking out on his own. You know who I'm talking about. Bootsy Collins.

Amy Richter was slathered up in oil and wearing a sparkling red bikini when she competed in her first bodybuilding contest a few years ago. That was quite a change for an Episcopal priest. Host Michel Martin speaks with the "Ripped Reverend" about keeping the body and spirit strong.

The Barbershop guys weigh in on revelations about the death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion. Some police documents suggest Champion agreed to undergo hazing that allegedly took his life. The guys also dish on their top picks for the NBA playoffs.

NPR's "Sick in America" survey found that a lot of Americans are unhappy with the healthcare system. Among those who had a recent serious healthcare experience, nearly half said that a lack of cultural understanding played a big role in the problems with U.S. healthcare quality. Host Michel Martin talks with NPR's Richard Knox and Dr. Kavita Patel of the Brookings Institution.

Host Michel Martin and Tell Me More editor Ammad Omar comb through listener feedback and give news updates from past stories. They remember pioneering African-American broadcaster Hal Jackson, who died this week at age 96. They also give an update on Hikaru Nakamura, who recently won his third U.S. chess championship.

Westboro Baptist Church members travel the country holding up signs saying God hates everything from homosexuals to America. Recently, nine-year-old Josef Miles made his own sign which read "God Hates No One," and the photo of him next to the Westboro protesters went viral. Miles and his mother Patty Akrouche talk with host Michel Martin.